Automatic sound control eox phono gkraphs and the like



0. E. KELLUM.

AUTOMATIC SOUND CONTROL FOR PHONOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILEDSEPT. 18, 1920.

1 ,43 1 1 1 9, Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

jade)??? Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

UNITED. STATES 1,431,119 PATENT OFFICE.

ORLANDO n. KELLUM, or LOS Anenrns, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC SOUND CONTROL FOB- PHONOGRAIPHS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed September 18, 1920. Serial No. 411,215;

nism, such, for instance, as a 'kinetograph.

In a broad and general way the invention relates to and comprises anautomatic sound control for a phonograph, musical instrument, or, infact, any mechanism or apparatus similar or equivalent to a phonographor musical instrument. In'the present form of the invention I providemeans, embodying electrical and mechanical means,for carrying out theinvention in a manner thatcan be advantageously employed when theinvention is applied to a phonograph. In this particular means I providea mechanical modifying or dampening device in connection with the soundarm of the phonograph, electromagnetic means for operating the modifyingdevice, and adjustable control means for'the electro-magnetic means. Inoperation the sound from the phonograph -is partially or completely cutoff at the desired time or times and isunmodified in any way at othertimes.

In a-somewhat more specific sense the invention comprises in combinationtwo synchronously operating mechanisms, one of i which. is a.phonograph, and automatic sound control for the phonograph. To disclosethis phase oil the invention I am herein setting 'l'orth a synchronousphonograph and lrmetograph with the automatic sound control deviceinvconnection. with the phonograph.

Tn such an arrangement as this the control.

means in the automatic sound control device can be actuated by thephonograph, or by the kinetograph, either of which will cause it tooperate in synchronism with both the phonograph and kinetograph andthereby cause synchronous operation of the entire combined apparatus.

This last mentionedphase of the invention is'of particular note andimportance from a practical standpoint in that it provides, in

combination with asynchronous phonograph graph mechanism 11.

and kinetograph, means for controlling the sound produced by thephonograph in such manner as to either completelycut it off or to modifyit, In practice when a phonograph and kinetograph are operatingsynchronously there are times when it is desired to modl'ly thesoundproduced by the kinetograph and there are tlmes when it is desired.to completely out off all of the sound from the phonograph. Inoperation the present invention effectively and automatically pro Iduces the desired modification and cutting off of the sound; and,1nfact,when 1t operates to completely cut off the sound it positively cutsof] all of the sound even. that caused by the operation of thephonograph mechanism, including the needle scratch, etc. Such operatlonas this cannot be had by any sort oi. recording on the record used onthe phonograph. For instance, in theordinary operation of the phonographwhen it is playing a part of the record on which no musical. or vocalsounds have been recorded,

such as the starting blank groove or any intermediate blank port on, theneedle scratch lowing detail description of a preferred em bodiment ofthe invention throughout which referenceis had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which-- i Fig. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus emlypdyinga phonograph kinetograph and the automatic-sound control device for thephonograph; Fig. 2 IS an enlarged detail sectional vlew taken asindicated by line 2-2 on Fig. if; and Fig. .3 is anwenlargedsideeleration ofua portion of the automatic sound control. devlce showingthe electric circuits diagrammatically.

Tn thedrawings numeral 10 design-ates a tyqiical phonograph mechanisminconnec tionwith which is arranged atypical kineto- The phonographmechanism 10 is adapted to be operated by a motor 12 directly connectedwith the record carrying table 13, while the'kinetograph mechanism 11 isadapted to be operated by'amotor 14. The motor 14 is synchronouselectric motor operated from and controlled by a commutatormechanism 15'operated from and by the phonograph IHGCll-r specific means' forsynchronously connecting I anism 10.

chronous motorsystems, filed Aug. 19', 1920,

Serial No. 404,684. It will be understood, howeven'that the nature ofthe'present invention is such that itpis not in any way limited'or'res'trictedto any oneparticular or v "the phonographmechanism andkinetograph movements.

cut oil or close ofl the mechanism. Further it may be here stated thatvarious forms and types of phonograph mechanisms and kinetographmechanisms may be used in carrying out the invention without in anywaydeparting from the spirit thereof. v

As means for dampening oil or regulating the sounds from the honographmechanism "10. a damper or -va ve" 18 is arranged in connectionwith thesound arm 19 of the "phonograph mechanism. I am showing the regulatingmeans, or in other words the valve 18, in connection with the'sound arm'19 merely because it maybeeasily and efiectively arranged at that partof-the phonograph mechanism, it being understood of course that it mightwell be arranged in or at any sound transmitting portion of thephonograph mechanism. Guides'20 are provided on the sound arm 19 toslidably carry the valve 18 and direct it in various The valve 18 itselfis a member, or structure, having a. closed or continuous portion '21and an opening or upcture 22. The continuous portion of. the valve 18 isof suflicient ac to completely 11d army in the manner clearly shown in3g. 2 of the drawings, while [the opening" inthe valve is the same sizeas the opening in the sound arm 'andis adapted to register with theopening 'in the sound arm under certain operating conditions. In theparticular jform of the invention herein set forth the coutinuousportion of' the" va'lve is at the formed 'at thelower end thereof.

upper. end thereof while the opening 22 is It isobviousthatwhen'thevalve l8 'isinthe position shown-in Fi J 2t'hat the sound-arm iscom- .pletely'close' in a-manner topositively prevent the;passageof-sounds, or any "kind,

"throu hit, 'aniijthaft when the valve is in a position tocausetheupening 22 to register with the opening in the sound arm that the soundarm is unrestricted and will allow free passage of sounds through it,and that when the valve is in a osition intermediate of the abovementione positions that the sound arm will be out 011: or restricted toa more or less degree de ending upon the particular positioning ofewvalve, thereby partially restricting the passage of sound through thearm.

To operate the valve 18 it is connected to or wit a solenoid mechanism25. The solenoid mechanism 25 is mounted on the sound arm 19 by asuitable member 26 and comprises, generally, three concentric coils 27arranged so that there is a vertical opening 28 through them. A core'29is freely carried in the opening 28 so that it will be moved through theopening 28 by energizution of any of the coils. The core 29 is connectedto the valve '18 by a suitable rod 30 thereby causing the valve 18 to beoperated when the core 29 is moved. In the preferred formof constructionthe valve 18 and rod 30 are of light construction and a light spring 31is connected to a bracket 32 which extends downwardly through the oening 28 and connects to the core 29. n practice the spring 31 is notsufficiently strong to support the load of the core 29, rod 80, andvalve 18. although it is of such strength as to almost counterbalancethe weight of these parts, thereby allowing the core 29 to be veryeasily moved by the coils 27. It will be readily understood howenergization of any one of the coils 2? will cause the core 29 to bemoved through the opening 28 until it is within that particular coil.For instance, if the core 29 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and thelowermost coil27 is energized, t-hecore will move only a short distanceupwardly through the opening 27, thereby causing only slight opening ofthe valve 18. If the central coil 27 is energized the core 29 will movethrough the opening 28 until it is within the central coil 27 orequidistant between the top and bottom coils 27, thereby causing thevalve 18 to be in a half-open position. If the uppermost coil 27 isenergized the core 29 will be moved to its extreme upper position,causing the opening 22 in the valve 18 to register with the opening inthe sound arm 19, thereby causing the passage of sound to be unrestrited. At such times when none of the coils 27 are energized the core 29is moved downwardly in theoperiinc 28 by gravity until it engages thestops 34, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2. When the core 29 is inthis last the enerzization of the coils :27 a commutator mechanism &0 isarranged in the electrical circuit in which the coils 27 are arranged.The commutator mechanism' comprises three metal disk-like members a1mounted on a shaft 12 which is rotated or driven from the shaft 16through a cooperating worm 43 and .wormgear 4:4- mounted on the shaft 16and shaft 12 respectively. Each of the members 4.0 is formed at itsperiphery with a plurality of tapped holes 45 which are adaptedtoreceive screws 16 by which contact plates 4E7 aresecuredto the members41. By providing a plurality of holes 15 in the member 41 it is possibleto very easily and conveniently arrange various numbers and of(3OI1tEtCtSl7 on the members 41. A brush" holder 48, preferably formedofin sulating material, carries three brushes 49, each adapted tocooperatewith one of the members 411. The brushes4l9 are constructed sothat they will not actually engage the members 41, although they willengage and make good electrical contact with the contactsti'. A wireleads from one side of the source of electrical energyfil to the shaft12 on which the members 41 are mounted. Wires 52 lead from the brushes49 to the other side of the source of electric energy and have the coils27 arranged in them in a manner clearly shown in Fig. 3. It will bereadily understood how, when one of the members l]. is moved so that oneof the contacts 47, mounted on it, engages one of the brushes anelectrical circuit is completed from the source of electrical energy 51,through the wire 50, through the shaft 42, through the plates 41,through the contact and brush, which are in engagement with each other,through the wires 52, which connects to that brush, and through thecoils 27 arranged in the wires It is obvious, that when the members 41are rotated in synchronism with the phonograph mecha; nism in a mannersuch as has been hereinabove described, and have contacts 47 of varioussizes arranged in proper intervals on them so that the several units ofthe solenoids, or thecoil 27, and therefore the valve 18, will operateat the proper and desired time or times. It may be said that the mechism just described provides an adjustable automatic means for actuatingthe valve 18 and that the mechanism just described may be synchronouslyoperated. with the other mechanisms in any suitable or desired mannerand is not necessarily limited to being operated in the specific mannerherein set forth. It isobvious that various numbers of members 11 may beemployed with various arrangements or forms of the solenoid mechanism,and that permanent or fixed member a1, that is members with fixedcontacts 17, may be provided or made to be used with certain phonographrecords. In other words, each phonograph record may be supplied with amember 41 which is made particularly for it. Further it may be pointedout that the means for operating the valve 18, which in this case is thesolenoid mechanism 25, may be constructed to operate or move the valve18 to any number of various positions and that it is in no way limitedtoa three unit device such as has been hereinabove described. However,in connection with. the particular three unit solenoid mechanism hereinset forth it will be noted that itis possible: to move or actuate thecore 29 andtherefore the valve 18 to more positions than there is numberof coils 27. For instance, if any adjacent coils 27 are energized, thecore 29 will be moved by the combined force of the two coils, andtherefore will not be in a position such as would be caused by either ofthe coils 27 singly.

Having set forth only a preferred embodiment of the invention I do notwish to restrict myself to the specific details hereinabove set forth,but wish to reserve to my self any variations that may appear to thoseskilled in the art andthat may fall within the scope of the followingclaims. 1

Having described apreferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with the sound generating apparatus and the soundconducting passage of a phonograph, a valve in the passage forregulating the passage of sound, electromagnetic means for actuating thevalve, and a commutator mechanism for controll ng the energization ofthe electro-magnetic means operated in synchronism with the soundgenerating apparatus.

2. In combination with the sound generating apparatus and the soundconductingpassage of a phonograph, a valve in the passage for regulatingthe passage of sound, a plurality of electromagnetic units adapted to beenergized independently or in groups to actuate the valve, and meansoperating in synchronism with the sound generating apparatus forcontrolling the energization of the units.

3. In combination with the sound generating apparatus and the soundconducting passage of a phonograph, a valve in the pas sage forregulating the passage of sound, a

plurality of electro-magnetic units adapted to be energizedindependently or in groups to actuate the valve, and a commutatormechanism. operating in synchronism with. the sound generating apparatusfor corn trolling the energization of the several units.

1. In combination with the sound conduct of a phonograph, a valve in theconduct adapted to be actuated to regulate the passage of sound throughthe conduct, the valve being arranged so that it is actuated in onedirection by gravity, a plurality of electromagnetic units each adaptedwhen energized to actuate the valve to a different position and meansfor energizing the electro-mag- "trolling the energization of theseveral units,

the commutator mechanism including a moving carrier, a plurality ofcontacts detachably. 'adjustably mounted on the carrier,-and 'astationary contact adapted to cooperate with the "contacts'mounted onthe carrier.

6. In combination with the sound conduct of a phonograph, a valve in theconduct adapted to be actuated to regulate the pasbeing arranged so thatit is actuated inthe direction by gravity; the valve having a stemprojecting from the conduct, electromagnetic means for actuating thevalve in the other direction includinga core attached the valve bein tothe stem of the valve, and a spring in connection with the core tendingto move it and the parts connected with it against the resistance ofgravity.

1 7 In combination with the sound generati'n-gapparatus and the soundconducting essage of a phonograph, a valve arrange in the passage toregulate the passage of sound,

arranged so that it is actuated in one irect'ion by gravity, a spring inconnection with the valve to tend to move it against the resistance ofgravity but not strong enough to move it, a plurality ofelectro-magnetie unitsada-ptedto be energ'zed independently or in groupsto actuate the valve in the other direction, to various positions, and acommutator for controlling the energization of each unit, thecommutators being connected with the sound generating apparatus tooperate in synchronism therewith. sage of sound through the conduct, thevalve 7 In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribedmy name this 8th day of September, 1920.

' ORLANDO E. KELLUM.

Witness:

- VIRGINIA Bunmoaa.

